Light, airy, and thoroughly sophisticated, these madeleine cookies or madeleine cakes are a buttery treat to swoon over. Best of all, despite their fancy appearance, they are quite easy to make! ✨
The hallmarks of a perfect madeleine cookie recipe are charming scalloped shell texture on one side and a nice tall hump on the side that isn’t scalloped. Getting the madeleine hump to rise can be tricky, according to many home cooks on the internet. However, with good ingredient ratios and baking powder, it’s totally effortless.
Besides looking elegant, madeleine cookies are a delight to indulge in. They’re soft and airy, with a hint of crispness, thanks to the copious amount of sugar in the batter. That’s probably why they’re the perfect compliment to a steaming cup of coffee or an afternoon tea. ☕
Are Madeleines Cookies or Cakes?
I call them cookies, but their texture is somewhere in between the two desserts. Madeleines are usually called cakes because they’re spongier than an actual cookie. But they have a little more bite than a cake, so you can hold them in your hand without worrying about crumbling.
I’m not here to debate words anyway. The important thing is how buttery and delicious they are! 😜
Recipe Ingredients
- Eggs – Eggs whip up and add air for a beautifully like cookie cake. I used the egg white, but the whole egg works fine, too, and gives it a gorgeous color.
- Sugar – Not only does sugar sweeten these madeleines, but it also creates a subtle caramelization where the batter bakes against the shell formation of the pan. 🤤
- Vanilla Extract – Coming in as a powerful flavor enhancer, vanilla extract is here FTW.
- Flour – Pantry staple, all-purpose flour is at the heart of these cakes (cookies). You’ll add a little baking powder to help with the rise.
- Butter – A copious amount of butter adds richness and flavor to these little beauties and is a critical ingredient for the light, fluffy texture.
- Optional Ingredients – Optionally, you can add salt and grated lemon zest to the batter. You can also dust your madeleines with powdered sugar once they come out of the oven.
How to Make Madeleine Cookies
Make the Batter
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour your madeleine pan or spray it with non-stick cooking spray.
- Whip – In a mixing bowl, beat the eggs (or egg whites) and granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Then, stir in the vanilla extract. (Photos 1-2)
- Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt into a separate bowl. (Photo 3)
- Combine the flour mixture with the beaten eggs a little at a time and fold using a spatula until all the flour has been added. Add the grated lemon zest if using. (Photos 4-7)
- Butter – Slowly pour the melted butter in and continue folding until thoroughly combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. (Photo 8)
Make the Madeleines
- Fill Mold – Spoon the batter into the prepared madeleine molds, filling each one about three-quarters full. After filling the molds, gently tap the pan on the counter to release air bubbles for an even texture. (Photo 9)
- Bake for 8-10 minutes or until lightly golden around the edges and they spring back when lightly pressed. (Photo 10)
- Cool – Remove the madeleines from the oven and let them cool in the mold for a few minutes. Then transfer them to a wire rack to completely cool.
- Serve – Once cooled, dust the madeleines with powdered sugar if desired. Enjoy your homemade madeleines with a cup of tea or coffee!
Recipe Variations
- Get chocolatey. Replace 2-3 tablespoons of flour with cocoa powder and toss in a handful of mini chocolate chips for extra indulgence. After they’ve cooled, dip half of each madeleine in melted dark or white chocolate.
- Make them matcha. Add a teaspoon or two of matcha green tea powder to the batter. That’s especially fabulous when you dip half of each matcha madeleine in melted white chocolate chips before digging in.
- Try orange and almond madeleines. Add the zest of one orange instead of lemon zest, and replace ¼ cup of flour with finely ground almonds. 😋
Tips and Tricks
- Fully preheat your oven before baking so the madeleines rise quickly and form their iconic hump.
- Since butter is a crucial ingredient, high-quality, unsalted butter enhances the flavor and texture of your madeleines.
- Even if your madeleine pan is non-stick, grease it well. Otherwise, the madeleines can stick on the scalloped pan edges.
Make-Ahead and Storage Instructions
Madeleines taste best fresh, but you can certainly serve them the next day. You can also freeze them after they’ve completely cooled for up to three months.
If you have leftovers (big if), store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days.
What Goes With Madeleine Cookies
Madeleines are a delight with afternoon tea or coffee and a few other fun pastry desserts. Serve them with easy pecan pie bars, red velvet cupcakes, and coffee cake for a teatime your friends won’t forget quickly! 😉
More Bite-Sized Dessert Recipes to Try
Watch How to Make It
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This blog post was originally published in February 2013 and has been updated with additional tips, new photos, and a video
Madeleine Cookies
Ingredients
- 3 large eggs
- ½ cup (100g) sugar
- 1 teaspoon (5ml) vanilla extract
- 1 cup (120g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon (5g) baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon (1-2g) salt (optional)
- 8 tablespoons (113g) unsalted butter, melted and cooled to room temperature
- 1 tablespoon (6g) grated lemon zest, optional
- powdered sugar for dusting
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour your madeleine pan or spray it with non-stick cooking spray.
- In a mixing bowl, beat the eggs and granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Then, stir in the vanilla extract.
- Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt in a separate bowl.
- Combine the flour mixture with the beaten eggs a little at a time and fold using a spatula until all the flour has been added. Add the grated lemon zest if using.
- Slowly pour in the melted butter and continue folding until thoroughly combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
- Spoon the batter into the prepared madeleine molds, filling each one about three-quarters full. After filling the molds, gently tap the pan on the counter to release air bubbles for an even texture.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 8-10 minutes or until the madeleines are lightly golden around the edges and spring back when lightly pressed.
- Remove from the oven and let them cool in the pan for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Once cooled, dust the madeleines with powdered sugar if desired. Enjoy your homemade madeleines with a cup of tea or coffee!
Tips & Notes:
- Fully preheat your oven before baking so the madeleines rise quickly and form their iconic hump.
- Since butter is a crucial ingredient, high-quality, unsalted butter enhances the flavor and texture of your madeleines.
- Even if your madeleine pan is non-stick, grease it well. Otherwise, the madeleines can stick on the scalloped pan edges.
- Please remember that the nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary significantly based on the products used in the recipe.
Alma says
This tastes great.
Imma says
Thank you for the feedback :)!
Imma says
Hello everyone. Updated recipe for a more classic and delicious madeleine cake.
Here’s the original.
½ cup sweetened shredded coconut flakes
2 tablespoons unsalted butter or baking spray to grease the madeleines pans
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled to room temperature
⅔ cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 large eggs
½ cup sugar
½ teaspoons grated lemon or lime zest
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract
pinch of salt, optional
Bake ½ cup coconut flakes in the oven at 350℉ (175℃) for about 10 minutes (until it starts browning). Let it cool.
Thoroughly butter and flour the madeleine pans or coat with baking spray.
In a small saucepan, melt the six tablespoons of butter (I just microwaved it for a few seconds). Let cool to almost room temperature but still liquidy.
Sift the flour, salt, and baking powder. Then, add the toasted coconut flakes to the dry ingredients. Set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, sugar, vanilla extract, almond extract, and zest with a hand mixer (or a stand mixer) until pale and slightly thickened, 3-5 minutes.
Using a rubber spatula, fold the dry ingredients gently into the beaten egg mixture, making sure not to deflate the egg mixture.
Gradually add cooled melted butter in a steady stream, beating just until blended.
Preheat the oven to 375℉ (190℃). Using a spoon and rubber spatula, drop a rounded tablespoonful of batter into each madeleine pan well until about ¾ full. You’ll need two madeleine pans.
Bake the madeleines for 12-14 minutes or until they spring back when pressed. Tap the madeleine upside down on a baking pan lined with parchment paper and let the cakes cool. Dust with coconut flakes if desired.
Elizabeth says
This recipe was a HUGE hit.. I actually added a little bit of almond flour because I didn’t have the extract and it was soooo good
Laura says
These look great!
I don’t have the right pan – do you think I could use a mini-muffin pan? Any guesses about cooking time?
Thank you for your wonderful recipes. I make them all the time.
ImmaculateBites says
Hi Laura! They taste great too! Yes, you can use a mini-muffin pan. Baking time will be about 15 minutes, until they spring back when pressed or an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Do let me know how it works out for you. Happy Baking :)!
Suzanne Syme says
Hi Imma,
I would like to make these but I can’t eat all purpose flour, what can I use instead. Please.
Suzanne.
imma africanbites says
Hi. I haven’t tried replacing the all-purpose flour here with another one. Bt the closest alternative I could think of would be the almond flour. Please do let us know how it turned out for you. Thank you.
Ayoub Sadi says
Wow! I finally get to know about it!
Thanks for this…!
ImmaculateBites says
Awesome! Glad it was helpful.
barbara says
these are just perfect the way they are. i used lemon zest and un sweetened coconut to ehich i simply added a pinch of sugar. zgotgeous, litr golden and spongy. Made about 18 (less thsn 1 1/2 pans. I am serving with covonut rum ice cream!
ImmaculateBites says
OH MY! I Sooo Want to try this combo now. Sounds Delicious!!!
L.slokoski says
You forgot to mention where the almond and vanilla extracts go. Could you please explain?
ImmaculateBites says
My bad! It goes with the eggs. Recipe updated.
fawah says
Hi Imma,
I don’t where to begin but all I know is your are a goddess and I am addicted to your site. I have tried most of the receipe from cakes, fish roll, chinchin to mbongo and I succeeded in cooking all of them well at first try. Now I tried out this Madeleine receipe and had some difficulties cos here in my country we just have flour and I don’t know if it’s different from all purpose flour. Then when I used 2/3 cup flour the cake is just too soft. Also on the recipe you mention salt but didn’t say the quantity to use. Thanks a million u are truly a six star chef and teacher too
ImmaculateBites says
Aww Thanks Fawah! All purpose flour is the same as regular flour. I think the culprit might be the measurements. You have to be precise with it. Can you do weights inside of cups?